Nunam, an Indian-German start-up will reuse Audi e-Tron batteries, indian-german, indo-german

Nunam, a German-Indian joint venture with offices in Berlin and Bangalore, is sending three electric rickshaws to India that are powered by recycled batteries from the Audi e-Tron test fleet. According to Audi, the purpose of this project is to see how old high-voltage battery modules may be given a second life after their automotive life cycle.

German-Indian start-up named Nunam is now introducing electric three-wheelers for the Indian roads with lots of features and affordability. The main uniqueness of these electric three vehicles is that they are powered with used batteries from German-based electric cars.

These vehicles make use of used batteries from the Audi e-Tron test fleet, which give better efficiency at affordable low prices. Audi states that the objective of this project is to make use of these high-voltage electric car batteries in three-wheeler electric vehicles after their car life cycle is complete in cars. The project claims to provide job opportunities, especially for women, in India.

This electric rickshaw startup is a result of the great efforts of a non-profit organisation based in Berlin and Bengaluru. It is funded by Audi Environmental Foundation. On a trial basis, only three prototypes of the electric rickshaw have been built till now under the first-ever project between Audi AG and the Audi Environmental Foundation.

These Audi batteries are powered by a high-energy-density battery and have a comparatively low vehicle weight.

Now electric rickshaws are common in India and most of them are powered by lead-acid batteries, which have a shorter life and they are often not disposed of properly. All of these three-wheelers will be charged through public grid electricity, but the majority of which in India are sourced from coal-powered electricity.

A used Audi e-Tron battery will charge whole the day through a solar panel and it acts as a buffer storage unit, then power is passed to the rickshaw in the evening. This will make e-rickshaw driving carbon-free.

The company stated that after the battery has completed its electric car life cycle then its second life in an e-rickshaw than also it can be used to power stationary applications like LED lighting. It is best suited for a vehicle which requires low power and has an ort range of driving. So, overall e-Tron batteries from Audi will be a great choice to be used in electric e e-rickshaws.

In India, experimental e-rickshaws powered by old batteries are planned to enter the roads in early 2023. They will be utilized by a non-profit organization to deliver commodities to the market for sale in collaboration with local women. Nunam will also look into placing solar panels at businesses to provide a clean source of energy to replenish the batteries as part of the scheme.